By Matthew G. Soltis
As a business consultant you may have some thoughts as to how you may get involved with these communities and entrepreneurs. Through local and state non-profit organizations you can become very involved. Caution: the area you are about to enter should be accessed only after some study and introspection of your talents and time available. Most that enter become addicted. If you are determined to become involved please read and follow up with some of the programs that follow.
The Texas Center for Rural Entrepreneurship is a nonprofit 501(c)3 Texas
The Center’s vision is that of an entrepreneurial rural Texas
Entrepreneur Ready Communities
Entrepreneurs and the businesses they create represent the economic future of
rural communities. This is true whether the entrepreneurial ventures are new or
growing. Small startup companies at a minimum provide self employment, while
growing businesses often create a significant number of jobs.
The Center works with communities providing assessments, educational programs,
planning and other important elements of a program that leads to certification as an
Entrepreneur Ready Community.
Entrepreneur Guides
Individuals with an interest in supporting entrepreneurs in their community can
gain certification as an Entrepreneur Guide through our program. Criteria are posted on the web. They consist of participating in educational programs, providing technical assistance, offering educational programs and other activities.
Communities in Economic Transition
Consistent with active learning and action-oriented approaches, CET programs include:
• Community self-study and planning for economic diversification;
• Informational materials and technical assistance to help communities implement local plans;
• Local and inter-community workshops and discussion forums;
• Local and project progress monitoring;
• Networks of contacts with a wide variety of groups.
Rural Community Colleges This alliance of colleges help rural communities:
• Focus on their assets
• Honestly assess and address community problems
• Work to build broad-based leadership and an inclusive, collaborative civic culture
• Build commitment to equity and excellence
• Seek out new ideas and encourage a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship
• Understand the inextricable link between education and economic prosperity, and work simultaneously to improve education and build the regional economy
The RUPRI Center for Rural Entrepreneurship provides communities across rural America
The Center, located jointly in North Carolina , Nebraska , and Missouri
The Center's mission is to enable every rural resident to achieve his or her full entrepreneurial potential. To achieve this mission, the Center's work focuses on three key concepts – study, learn, and engage. T
The Center actively studies entrepreneurship development through practice-driven research in collaboration with a wide range of partners. Building on this knowledge base, the Center creates opportunities for community leaders and policy makers to learn about rural entrepreneurship through training, an electronic newsletter, development tools, and other mechanisms for learning in person and virtually.
The Center also engages community and regional leaders by bringing new models, such as Hometown Competitiveness, and new tools, such as Transfer of Wealth, directly to rural regions in a more hands-on, strategic approach. By applying these three concepts, the Center is committed to connecting economic development practitioners and policy makers across rural America
Resources:
Greg Clary, PhD
Economist, Texas
Chairman, Texas Center
Extension Economist: Greg is primarily responsible for continuing education and leadership in rural entrepreneurship and economic development, in business capitalization, and in rural business management. This includes providing educational programs and technical assistance on management issues such as business planning; feasibility analysis; implementing, and evaluating production and operations methods; budgeting; developing and evaluating marketing alternatives; value-added business opportunities; financial management; and business performance analysis. It also includes developing and working with collaborations and communities supporting rural entrepreneurs and local economic development.
Chairman of the Board, the Texas Center
Greg Clary, PhD, Chairman
903.714.0232
Email gclary@ag.tamu.edu
M.G.Soltis, Author MAGUConsultancy for Entrepreneurs MGsoltis@yahoo.com
214 763-1433
Please submit a brief on your Business Consulting experience if you have an interest in working with the Texas
Don Macke 1s Director of Strategic Engagement and the Center’s Project Director for HomeTown Competitiveness, a partnership between the Nebraska Community Foundation, the
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